William P. Barr is executive vice president and general counsel of Verizon, a position he has held since the company’s formation in 2000. He heads the legal, regulatory and government affairs group.  Barr helped steer the merger negotiations that formed Verizon. He also framed and executed the litigation strategy that paved the way for deregulation of telecommunication companies and the wide-scale deployment of broadband.

Barr began working in telecommunications in 1994, when he joined GTE as executive vice president of government and regulatory advocacy, general counsel. He served in that capacity from 1994 until GTE merged with Bell Atlantic to become Verizon in June, 2000. At GTE, Barr provided legal advice to senior management and the Board of Directors, directed activities of the Legal Department, led all legislative and regulatory advocacy activities, and was responsible for the Corporate Secretary's department and the Government Affairs staff in Washington, D.C.

Prior to his work in the telecommunications industry, Barr was attorney general of the United States under President George Bush, was on the White House Domestic Policy Staff under President Reagan, and served in the Central Intelligence Agency.

As attorney general from 1991 to 1993, Barr established innovative programs to combat violent crime and set significant new enforcement policies in a wide range of areas, including financial institutions, civil rights and antitrust merger guidelines. He started with the Department of Justice as assistant attorney general in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel in 1989, and then served as deputy attorney general before his appointment as attorney general in November 1991.

Barr started his legal career as law clerk to Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. In 1978, Barr joined the law firm of Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge law firm in Washington, D.C. as an associate. From 1982 to 1983 he served on the White House Domestic Policy Staff under President Reagan, and then returned to the firm where he practiced as a partner until 1989.

Barr received a bachelor's degree in government in 1971 and a master's degree in government and Chinese studies in 1973 from Columbia University.  He received his juris doctor degree with highest honors from George Washington University in 1977. 

Barr serves on the board of Selected Funds and is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey and Virginia.  He also serves as a Trustee of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund of New York.

June 2007